Santa Fe, NM—A striking array of Diné (Navajo) textiles and baskets will soon be on display at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Spider Woman’s (Na ashje’ii 'Asdzáá) Gift: Navajo Weaving Traditions, a long-term exhibition, features weavings from the 1850s through the 1890s—the Classic and Transitional periods. A weaving demonstration, gallery talk, and hands-on activities are planned for the opening, which takes place Sunday, May 14 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

On the Diné reservation situated between the red rock canyon walls in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, stands an 800-foot sandstone rock formation named Spider Rock. According to Diné oral history, this is where Spider Woman makes her home. For centuries, her gift of weaving has provided a constant means of sustenance for the Diné in the Southwest.

Spider Woman taught the Diné weaving designs that refer to natural “life-way” elements and cosmology. These designs, evident in early basketry, are imbued with special meaning and have been passed down throughout many generations of Diné weavers.